IBonomicsIB May 2026 Exam Statistics
Session: May 2026Provisional
In May 2026, 209,607 students from 3,442 schools in 152 countries took IB exams, up from 202,102 in May 2025. Between them they had 784,409 subject entries.
In May 2026, 104,369 students received IB Diploma results. Of these, 82.6% were awarded the diploma, up from 81.9% in May 2025, and the average score was 30.8 points out of 45, up from 30.6.
In the Career-related Programme, 7,869 students received results and 79.0% were awarded the certificate, up from 76.2% in May 2025.
- Students
- 209,607
- May 2025: 202,102
- Schools
- 3,442
- May 2025: 3,400
- Diploma pass rate
- 82.6%
- May 2025: 81.9%
- Average score
- 30.8
- May 2025: 30.6
May 2026 compared with May 2025
The bulletin's overview of the session, with the Diploma and Career-related Programme results, beside May 2025, the same session a year earlier.
| Figure | May 2026 | May 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students | 209,607 | 202,102 | +7,505 |
| Subject entries | 784,409 | 758,854 | +25,555 |
| Schools | 3,442 | 3,400 | +42 |
| Countries | 152 | 153 | −1 |
| Mean grade, all students | 4.7 | 4.7 | 0.0 |
| Diploma results | 104,369 | 102,233 | +2,136 |
| Diplomas awarded | 86,217 | 83,703 | +2,514 |
| Diploma pass rate | 82.6% | 81.9% | +0.7 |
| Average score | 30.8 | 30.6 | +0.2 |
| Mean grade, Diploma students | 4.9 | 4.9 | 0.0 |
| Career-related Programme results | 7,869 | 6,935 | +934 |
| Career-related pass rate | 79.0% | 76.2% | +2.8 |
Students: everyone in the session, in the Diploma, the Career-related Programme or individual courses. Diploma results: Diploma students, including those retaking, who received results. Average score: their mean total points, out of 45. Change: for rates, in percentage points.
May 2026 figures are provisional.
- The bulletin prints a slightly different average total points in one of its charts. The figure shown is the one in its overview. (May 2026)
IB Diploma scores in May 2026
The share of Diploma results at each total, out of 45, with an average of 30.8 points. A diploma needs at least 24 points. The average IB score page has every session's.
| Total points | Share of Diploma results |
|---|---|
| 0–23 | 13.5% |
| 24–29 | 27.3% |
| 30–34 | 27.9% |
| 35–39 | 21.2% |
| 40–45 | 10.1% |
May 2026 figures are provisional.
- The bulletin prints a slightly different average total points in one of its charts. The figure shown is the one in its overview. (May 2026)
Most popular subjects in May 2026
The 10 subjects with the most students, HL and SL added, not counting the language courses, which the bulletin reports by language. Every subject is ranked, for this and every May session, in most popular IB subjects.
| Subject | Students | HL | SL | Share of entries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches | 69,586 | 26,591 | 42,995 | 8.9% |
| 2Biology | 55,649 | 33,585 | 22,064 | 7.1% |
| 3Mathematics: Applications and Interpretation | 52,696 | 8,500 | 44,196 | 6.7% |
| 4History | 47,655 | 38,195 | 9,460 | 6.1% |
| 5Business Management | 40,687 | 26,520 | 14,167 | 5.2% |
| 6Chemistry | 39,223 | 20,748 | 18,475 | 5.0% |
| 7Physics | 33,496 | 19,035 | 14,461 | 4.3% |
| 8Economics | 31,777 | 20,472 | 11,305 | 4.1% |
| 9Psychology | 29,350 | 15,455 | 13,895 | 3.7% |
| 10Environmental Systems and Societies | 24,821 | 3,857 | 20,964 | 3.2% |
Share of entries: the subject's students as a percentage of all 784,409 subject entries in May 2026, the language courses included.
May 2026 figures are provisional.
Highest grade 7 rates in May 2026
The subjects with the 10 highest shares of 7s at each level, among the subjects with at least 100 students there. Grade 7 rates reflect who takes a subject and how it is assessed, so they don't show which subjects are easier. Every subject is ranked, for this and every May session, in IB grade 7 rates by subject.
| Subject | Grade 7 rate | Students |
|---|---|---|
| 1Physics | 20.5% | 19,035 |
| 2Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches | 16.8% | 26,591 |
| 3Chemistry | 15.1% | 20,748 |
| 4Economics | 14.7% | 20,472 |
| 5Theatre | 12.8% | 2,381 |
| 6Geography | 12.7% | 5,229 |
| 7Computer Science | 10.9% | 4,536 |
| 8Mathematics: Applications and Interpretation | 10.0% | 8,500 |
| 9Philosophy | 8.6% | 2,173 |
| 10Music | 7.9% | 1,503 |
| Subject | Grade 7 rate | Students |
|---|---|---|
| 1Turkey in the 20th Century | 14.6% | 753 |
| 2Economics | 14.3% | 11,305 |
| 3Physics | 11.1% | 14,461 |
| 4Chemistry | 10.5% | 18,475 |
| 5Business Management | 10.0% | 14,167 |
| 6Brazilian Social Studies | 8.7% | 503 |
| 7Philosophy | 8.6% | 2,934 |
| 8Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches | 8.5% | 42,995 |
| 9Computer Science | 8.4% | 4,140 |
| 10Geography | 7.5% | 4,724 |
Results by subject, May 2026
Every subject in the May 2026 bulletin by subject group, each group led by its totals. Each subject links to its own page, with its results in every session.
| Subject | Level | Students | Mean grade | Grade 7 rate | Grade 6 or 7 rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Group 1: Studies in Language and LiteratureLanguage A: Language and Literature and Language A: Literature: reported by language, in the results explorer. | 155,380 | 4.9 | 4.9% | 28.7% | |
| Group 2: Language AcquisitionLanguage ab initio and Language B: reported by language, in the results explorer. | 117,213 | 5.2 | 12.7% | 43.6% | |
| Group 3: Individuals and Societies | 184,461 | 4.8 | 7.1% | 30.1% | |
| Art History | SL | 115 | 3.7 | 7.0% | 13.1% |
| Brazilian Social Studies | SL | 503 | 5.1 | 8.7% | 35.3% |
| Business Management | HL | 26,520 | 5.0 | 6.6% | 32.3% |
| SL | 14,167 | 4.9 | 10.0% | 34.9% | |
| Digital Society | HL | 1,160 | 4.4 | 2.3% | 16.3% |
| SL | 1,284 | 4.5 | 3.1% | 19.0% | |
| Economics | HL | 20,472 | 5.2 | 14.7% | 44.8% |
| SL | 11,305 | 5.0 | 14.3% | 39.9% | |
| Geography | HL | 5,229 | 5.3 | 12.7% | 42.1% |
| SL | 4,724 | 4.9 | 7.5% | 32.4% | |
| Global Politics | HL | 6,894 | 5.0 | 6.1% | 35.4% |
| SL | 4,602 | 4.7 | 4.1% | 23.4% | |
| History | HL | 38,195 | 4.5 | 2.6% | 18.1% |
| SL | 9,460 | 4.8 | 3.3% | 24.2% | |
| Philosophy | HL | 2,173 | 4.9 | 8.6% | 29.8% |
| SL | 2,934 | 4.9 | 8.6% | 33.1% | |
| Psychology | HL | 15,455 | 4.8 | 6.0% | 30.4% |
| SL | 13,895 | 4.5 | 4.0% | 24.2% | |
| Social and Cultural Anthropology | HL | 949 | 4.8 | 7.7% | 33.0% |
| SL | 1,735 | 4.5 | 2.6% | 19.1% | |
| Turkey in the 20th Century | SL | 753 | 5.5 | 14.6% | 59.1% |
| World Arts and Cultures | SL | 20 | 5.5 | 15.0% | 45.0% |
| World Religions | SL | 1,917 | 4.6 | 2.3% | 19.8% |
| Group 4: Sciences | 150,081 | 4.5 | 10.3% | 27.8% | |
| Astronomy | SL | 64 | 4.6 | 23.4% | 32.8% |
| Biology | HL | 33,585 | 4.5 | 7.4% | 24.6% |
| SL | 22,064 | 4.3 | 5.5% | 20.8% | |
| Chemistry | HL | 20,748 | 4.9 | 15.1% | 38.9% |
| SL | 18,475 | 4.5 | 10.5% | 29.4% | |
| Computer Science | HL | 4,536 | 4.8 | 10.9% | 34.4% |
| SL | 4,140 | 4.4 | 8.4% | 27.4% | |
| Design Technology | HL | 2,159 | 4.6 | 3.4% | 21.1% |
| SL | 1,966 | 4.1 | 0.3% | 8.7% | |
| Food Science and Technology | SL | 70 | 5.7 | 25.7% | 58.6% |
| Marine Science | SL | 523 | 3.8 | 3.6% | 12.4% |
| Physics | HL | 19,035 | 5.0 | 20.5% | 39.4% |
| SL | 14,461 | 4.3 | 11.1% | 23.6% | |
| Sports, Exercise and Health Science | HL | 1,942 | 4.7 | 6.9% | 27.3% |
| SL | 6,313 | 3.9 | 1.9% | 8.5% | |
| Group 5: Mathematics | 122,282 | 4.4 | 8.7% | 23.8% | |
| Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches | HL | 26,591 | 5.0 | 16.8% | 38.9% |
| SL | 42,995 | 4.5 | 8.5% | 24.0% | |
| Mathematics: Applications and Interpretation | HL | 8,500 | 4.6 | 10.0% | 27.6% |
| SL | 44,196 | 3.9 | 3.7% | 13.8% | |
| Group 6: The Arts | 28,117 | 4.3 | 3.9% | 16.8% | |
| Dance | HL | 394 | 4.5 | 6.1% | 20.8% |
| SL | 463 | 4.1 | 5.2% | 16.0% | |
| Film | HL | 2,990 | 4.3 | 3.1% | 15.2% |
| SL | 1,843 | 4.1 | 2.0% | 12.1% | |
| Literary Arts | SL | 14 | 5.3 | 0.0% | 35.7% |
| Music | HL | 1,503 | 4.8 | 7.9% | 28.3% |
| SL | 1,455 | 4.4 | 4.2% | 16.1% | |
| Theatre | HL | 2,381 | 5.1 | 12.8% | 39.2% |
| SL | 1,289 | 4.6 | 6.7% | 23.2% | |
| Visual Arts | HL | 9,709 | 4.3 | 2.9% | 15.7% |
| SL | 6,076 | 4.0 | 1.2% | 7.8% | |
| Interdisciplinary | 25,695 | 4.4 | 5.1% | 20.3% | |
| Environmental Systems and Societies | HL | 3,857 | 4.5 | 5.4% | 22.0% |
| SL | 20,964 | 4.3 | 5.0% | 19.4% | |
| Language and Culture | SL | 258 | 5.1 | 7.4% | 36.5% |
| Literature and Performance | SL | 616 | 5.0 | 5.5% | 36.3% |
Group rows: the bulletin's totals for every subject in the group, the language courses included. Grade 7 rate: the share of students awarded a 7, as published. Grade 6 or 7 rate: the published shares for grades 6 and 7 added.
May 2026 figures are provisional.
- Subjects the bulletin only names, because fewer than 10 students took them, are not listed here. (May 2026)
Other sessions
Source and methodology
These statistics are from the International Baccalaureate's statistical bulletins. The latest data shown is from the May 2026 assessment session.
Bulletins
- The IB Diploma Programme and Career-Related Programme Provisional Statistical Bulletin, May 2026
- The IB Diploma Programme and Career-Related Programme Final Statistical Bulletin, May 2025
About this data
- May and November are separate assessment sessions. November is much smaller and mostly taken by schools in the southern hemisphere, so its figures aren't directly comparable with May's.
- The May 2026 figures are from the IB's provisional bulletin and may change when the final bulletin is published.
- Older bulletins call the people sitting the exams “candidates” and newer ones “students”. This site says “students” throughout.
- “<10” means the IB didn't publish the exact number because fewer than 10 students took the subject. These figures are never estimated or counted as zero.
- The grade 7 rate is the share of students the bulletin reports at grade 7. The grade 6 or 7 rate is calculated by IBonomics by adding the published shares for grades 6 and 7. Every other figure is as published.
- The bulletins include students who received no grade (N) in each subject's percentages, so grades 1 to 7 add up to slightly less than 100%.
IBonomics is not affiliated with or endorsed by the International Baccalaureate.